Hybrid fiber/copper connector system and method

Abstract

A hybrid fiber/copper connector assembly which permits repair of damaged fibers or copper conductors carried by a hybrid fiber/copper cable without requiring replacement of the entire connector assembly or the cable is disclosed. The hybrid fiber/copper connector assembly disclosed also allows individual hybrid fiber/copper connectors of the assembly to be converted from one gender to a different gender. The hybrid fiber/copper connector assembly disclosed also allows the individual hybrid fiber/copper connectors of the assembly to be converted from being hybrid fiber/copper connectors to being only fiber connectors or only copper connectors.

1. A hybrid fiber/copper connector assembly comprising:
 a first hybrid fiber/copper connector including a first outer housing with a mating end and a cable entry end and a first inner housing removably mounted within the first outer housing, the first inner housing formed from two inner housing halves removably mounted together; and 
 a second hybrid fiber/copper connector including a second outer housing with a mating end that is adapted to mate with the mating end of the first hybrid fiber/copper connector and a cable entry end, the second hybrid fiber/copper connector including a second inner housing removably mounted within the second outer housing, the second inner housing formed from two inner housing halves removably mounted together; 
 wherein the first hybrid fiber/copper connector includes at least one fiber optic adapter removably mounted within one of the first inner housing halves adjacent the mating end and at least one electrical pin carried by a conductor mount that is removably mounted within the other of the first inner housing halves adjacent the mating end, the electrical pin of the removable conductor mount configured to make electrical contact with an electrical pin stationarily mounted within one of the first inner housing halves; 
 wherein the second hybrid fiber/copper connector includes a removable insert with at least one fiber optic connector and a V-groove chip, the fiber optic connector being a field-repairable fiber optic connector, the V-groove chip including a V-groove for aligning a first segment of optical fiber terminated to the fiber optic connector and a second segment of optical fiber coming from outside the hybrid fiber/copper connector assembly, the insert mounted within one of the second inner housing halves adjacent the mating end, the second hybrid fiber/copper connector also including at least one electrical pin conductor carried by a conductor mount that is removably mounted within the other of the second inner housing halves adjacent the mating end, the electrical pin of the removable conductor mount configured to make electrical contact with an electrical pin stationarily mounted within one of the second inner housing halves; 
 wherein the fiber optic connector of the second hybrid fiber/copper connector is configured to mate with the fiber optic adapter of the first hybrid fiber/copper connector and the electrical pin conductor carried by the removably mounted conductor mount of the second hybrid fiber/copper connector is adapted to electrically mate with the electrical pin conductor carried by the removably mounted conductor mount of the first hybrid fiber/copper connector. 
 
   
   
     2. The connector assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the electrical pin conductor carried by the removably mounted conductor mount of the second hybrid fiber/copper connector electrically mates with the electrical pin conductor carried by the removably mounted conductor mount of the first hybrid fiber/copper connector through the stationarily mounted electrical pins of the first and the second hybrid fiber/copper connectors. 
   
   
     3. The connector assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the fiber optic connector is an LX.5 format connector. 
   
   
     4. The connector assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the insert includes two fiber optic connectors and the V-groove chip includes two V-grooves for aligning segments of optical fiber terminated to each of the fiber optic connectors with segments of optical fiber coming from outside the connector assembly. 
   
   
     5. The connector assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the removably mounted conductor mounts of the first and second hybrid fiber/copper connectors are identically configured. 
   
   
     6. The connector assembly of  claim 1 , wherein each of the first and the second hybrid fiber/copper connectors includes a cable strength member clamp. 
   
   
     7. The connector assembly of  claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second hybrid fiber/copper connectors includes an end cap adapted to mate with the cable entry end of the outer housings, the end cap including a cable clamp with a throughhole for receiving a cable, the cable clamp configured to radially clamp the cable to the outer housings once the cable has been received through the hole of the end cap. 
   
   
     8. The connector assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first segment of optical fiber terminated to the fiber optic connector and the second segment of optical fiber coming from outside the hybrid fiber/copper connector assembly are heat-spliced. 
   
   
     9. The connector assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the conductor mount carries six electrical pins. 
   
   
     10. The connector assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the inner housing halves of each of the first and the second hybrid fiber/copper connectors define an upper face, wherein when the fiber optic adapter, the fiber optic connector, or the removably mounted conductor mount are mounted to the inner housing halves, none of the fiber optic adapter, the fiber optic connector, or the removably mounted conductor mount protrudes past the upper face of the inner housing halves. 
   
   
     11. The connector assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the fiber optic adapter is a duplex adapter. 
   
   
     12. A hybrid fiber/copper connector comprising:
 a first outer housing with a mating end and a cable entry end and a first inner housing removably mounted within the first outer housing, the first inner housing formed from a first inner housing half removably mounted to a second inner housing half; 
 at least one fiber optic adapter removably mounted within the first inner housing half adjacent the mating end; 
 an insert removably mounted within the first inner housing half adjacent the mating end, the insert including at least one fiber optic connector and a V-groove chip, the fiber optic connector being a field-repairable fiber optic connector that is mounted to the fiber optic adapter, the V-groove chip including a V-groove for aligning a first segment of optical fiber terminated to the fiber optic connector and a second segment of optical fiber coming from outside the hybrid fiber/copper connector; and 
 at least one electrical pin carried by a conductor mount that is removably mounted within the second inner housing half adjacent the mating end, the electrical pin of the removable conductor mount configured to make electrical contact with an electrical pin stationarily mounted within the second inner housing half. 
 
   
   
     13. The connector of  claim 12 , wherein the insert includes two fiber optic connectors and the V-groove chip includes two V-grooves for aligning segments of optical fiber terminated to each of the fiber optic connectors with segments of optical fiber coming from outside the hybrid fiber/copper connector. 
   
   
     14. The connector of  claim 12 , wherein the hybrid fiber/copper connector is configured to receive six electrical terminations. 
   
   
     15. The connector of  claim 12 , further comprising a cable strength member clamp. 
   
   
     16. The connector of  claim 12 , wherein the first segment of optical fiber terminated to the fiber optic connector and the second segment of optical fiber coming from outside the hybrid fiber/copper connector are heat-spliced. 
   
   
     17. A hybrid fiber/copper connector comprising:
 a first outer housing with a mating end and a cable entry end and a first inner housing removably mounted within the first outer housing, the first inner housing formed from a first inner housing half removably mounted to a second inner housing half, 
 an insert removably mounted within the first inner housing half adjacent the mating end, the insert including at least one fiber optic connector and a V-groove chip, the fiber optic connector being a field-repairable fiber optic connector, the V-groove chip including a V-groove for aligning a first segment of optical fiber terminated to the fiber optic connector and a second segment of optical fiber coming from outside the hybrid fiber/copper connector; and 
 at least one electrical pin carried by a conductor mount that is removably mounted within the second inner housing half adjacent the mating end, the electrical pin of the removable conductor mount configured to make electrical contact with an electrical pin stationarily mounted within the second inner housing half. 
 
   
   
     18. The connector of  claim 17 , wherein the fiber optic connector is an LX.5 format fiber optic connector. 
   
   
     19. The connector of  claim 17 , wherein the insert includes two fiber optic connectors and the V-groove chip includes two V-grooves for aligning segments of optical fiber terminated to each of the fiber optic connectors with segments of optical fiber coming from outside the hybrid fiber/copper connector. 
   
   
     20. The connector of  claim 17 , wherein the hybrid fiber/copper connector is configured to receive six electrical terminations. 
   
   
     21. The connector of  claim 17 , further comprising a cable strength member clamp. 
   
   
     22. The connector of  claim 17 , wherein the first segment of optical fiber terminated to the fiber optic connector and the second segment of optical fiber coming from outside the hybrid fiber/copper connector are heat-spliced. 
   
   
     23. A method of assembling a hybrid fiber/copper connector comprising:
 providing a first outer housing with a mating end and a cable entry end and a first inner housing removably mounted within the first outer housing; 
 removing the first inner housing from the first outer housing; 
 removing a fiber optic adapter from within the first inner housing; 
 removing an insert from the first inner housing by removing a fiber optic connector mounted on the insert from the fiber optic adapter, the insert including a V-groove chip, the V-groove chip including a V-groove for aligning a first segment of optical fiber terminated to the fiber optic connector and a second segment of optical fiber coming from outside the hybrid fiber/copper connector; 
 removing a conductor mount having electrical pins from electrical contact with electrical pins stationarily mounted within the first inner housing; 
 providing a second outer housing with a mating end and a cable entry end and a second inner housing removably mounted within the second outer housing; 
 mounting the insert including the fiber optic connector and the V-groove chip to the second inner housing; and 
 mounting the conductor mount having electrical pins within the second inner housing to make electrical contact with electrical pins stationarily mounted within the second inner housing. 
 
   
   
     24. A method of assembling a hybrid fiber/copper connector comprising:
 providing a first outer housing with a mating end and a cable entry end and a first inner housing removably mounted within the first outer housing; 
 removing the first inner housing from the first outer housing; 
 removing an insert from the first inner housing, the insert including at least one fiber optic connector and a V-groove chip, the V-groove chip including a V-groove for aligning a first segment of optical fiber terminated to the fiber optic connector and a second segment of optical fiber coming from outside the hybrid fiber/copper connector; 
 removing a conductor mount having electrical pins from electrical contact with electrical pins stationarily mounted within the first inner housing; 
 providing a second outer housing with a mating end and a cable entry end and a second inner housing removably mounted within the second outer housing; 
 mounting a fiber optic adapter to the second inner housing; 
 mounting the at least one fiber optic connector of the insert having the V-groove chip to the fiber optic adapter within the second inner housing; and 
 mounting the conductor mount having electrical pins within the second inner housing to make electrical contact with electrical pins stationarily mounted within the second inner housing. 
 
   
   
     25. A hybrid fiber/copper connector comprising:
 a first outer housing with a mating end and a cable entry end and a first inner housing removably mounted within the first outer housing, the first outer housing removably mounted to an opening in a panel, the first inner housing formed from two inner housing halves removably mounted together, 
 at least one fiber optic adapter removably mounted within one of the first inner housing halves adjacent the mating end; 
 an electrical pin stationarily mounted within the other of the first inner housing halves; and 
 at least one electrical pin carried by a conductor mount that is removably mounted within the first inner housing adjacent the mating end, the electrical pin of the removable conductor mount configured to make electrical contact with the electrical pin stationarily mounted within one of the first inner housing halves. 
 
   
   
     26. The connector of  claim 25 , wherein the cable entry end of the first outer housing includes threads and the first outer housing is mounted to the panel by inserting the cable entry end of the first outer housing through the opening of the panel and threading a nut over the cable entry end of the first outer housing. 
   
   
     27. The connector of  claim 25 , wherein the first outer housing is sealed against the opening of the panel with an o-ring. 
   
   
     28. The connector of  claim 25 , wherein the at least one fiber optic adapter is a duplex adapter. 
   
   
     29. A hybrid fiber/copper connector comprising:
 a first outer housing with a mating end and a cable entry end and a first inner housing removably mounted within the first outer housing, the first outer housing removably mounted to an opening in a panel, the first inner housing formed from two inner housing halves removably mounted together, 
 at least one fiber optic connector removably mounted within one of the first inner housing halves adjacent the mating end; and 
 an electrical pin stationarily mounted with the other of the first inner housing halves; and 
 at least one electrical pin carried by a conductor mount that is removably mounted within the first inner housing adjacent the mating end, the electrical pin of the removable conductor mount configured to make electrical contact with the electrical pin stationarily mounted within one of the first inner housing halves. 
 
   
   
     30. The connector of  claim 29 , wherein the cable entry end of the first outer housing includes threads and the first outer housing is mounted to the panel by inserting the cable entry end of the first outer housing through the opening of the panel and threading a nut over the cable entry end of the first outer housing. 
   
   
     31. The connector of  claim 29 , wherein the first outer housing is sealed against the opening of the panel with an o-ring. 
   
   
     32. The connector of  claim 29 , wherein two fiber optic connectors are removably mounted within one of the first inner housing halves.